Since 2013, I have called myself a “native tourist”—a native New Yorker with the confidence of a local resident but the eye of a tourist. Through photography, I capture how I see life around me, especially in Brooklyn, while simultaneously seeing things anew. Consistently focusing on making images that tie the present to the past, connecting eras. Vigilant in observing and recording emotions, symbols, and actions that are aesthetically pleasing yet sometimes uncomfortable, I hope to be leading the way for interactions between people of di erent communities, and exploring how they inhabit the shared environment.
Whether the faces in my photos are familiar or unfamiliar, I enjoy the human interaction. Whether they are action shots of my subjects in motion, performing for the camera, or the quiescence of still lifes/cityscapes, these images express my world.
I use varied techniques in order to push the boundaries of ne-art photography, experimenting with di erent kinds of paper and canvas, as well as chemistry.
My projects represent not only my personal vision, but also that of my generation and the Black experience of living in the United States. I believe it is a complicated and expansive topic—timeless, yet specific to today. I felt it was my duty to document the Black Lives Matter movement. I understood that it represented this historic moment of my people and community, and continued the timeline that stretches back and connects to my ancestors.
